Application of a Portable Colorimeter for Reading a Radiochromic Film for On-Site Dosimetry

Abstract

Featured Application: The present study has demonstrated that simple, accurate on-site dosimetry with a radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT-XD) can be achieved by using a portable colorimeter (nix pro 2). This finding will extend the potential of radiochromic materials in their applications to various occasions associated with high-dose radiation exposure. Radiochromic films have widely been used for quality assurance (QA) in radiation therapy and have many advantageous features such as self-developing visible coloration, wide dose range and easiness to handle. These features have a good potential for application to other fields associated with high-dose radiation exposure, e.g., verification of various radiation sources used in industry and research, occupational radiation monitoring as a preparedness for radiological emergencies. One of the issues in such applications is the elaborate process of acquisition and analyses of the color image using a flatbed scanner and image processing software, which is desirably to be improved for achieving a practical on-site dosimetry. In the present study, a simple method for reading a radiochromic film by using a portable colorimeter (nix pro 2; abbreviated here “Nix”) was proposed and its feasibility for diagnostic X-rays was tested with a commercial radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT-XD). It was found that the color intensities of red and green components of EBT-XD were successfully measured by Nix over a wide dose range up to 40 Gy. Though some angle dependence was observed, this error could be well averted by careful attention to the film direction in a reading process. According to these findings, it is expected that the proposed on-site dosimetry method of combining a radiochromic film and a portable colorimeter will be practically utilized in various occasions.